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Oracle Site
Long before the coming of the Dúnedain, the Daen had been a prosperous people and had lived in the vales of the White Mountains and worshipped the Belain. Of the Belain that they worshipped, by far the most numerous temples were built to Gobha and Yevan.Gobhabecause he was the patron of those who were craftsmen and artists, and Yevan because she was the Earth Mother and responsible for the bounty from the land. It was during this time that many of the solar clock-type temples were built, as well as other religious cities and temples such as Dunharrow.One of these temples was built in the upper reaches of a tree-filled valley in the foothills of the White Mountains in the Westmarch of Calenardhon. This temple was at one time, an Oracle for Yevan, set high on a hill with several auxiliary buildings set into the hill itself. Hidden within the Oracle Forest lay a grassy clearing with the hill in the center of the clearing. Set in the hill was an entrance faced in stone. On the opposite side of the hill were three doors of unequal sizes. Above the single opening set in the stone facing was an inscription that read in the primary language of each reader, Those who seek knowledge must choose their path to prove their worth This test insured that only the persistent and pure of heart could gain entrance to the Oracle. In order to pass this test the visitor had to walk through the hill via this passageway and leave through one of the other three on the far side of the hill while maintaining their normal size. Once a person entered the doorway no one else was able enter until the first person had passed through the first room. The rooms under the hill were the basis of the test. When each person entered the room they would be presented with a situation. The choice they made would allow them to the room through one of several doors. Each door led to another room and another situation. The power imbedded in these rooms could cause the persons entering to experience the situation as if it were actually happening. It would create the proper background and sensory stimuli to make it appear real for as long as the situation lasted. The only thing that might dampen this capability would be if the person entering the room was protected by powerful spells which would dispel or cancel such perception altering spells. If this protection were in place no situations would be presented and the person would have no way of knowing which paths to choose. The only way they could pass the test would be by luck. After completing the test the person would either exit to the outside of the hill the same size they had entered, they would exit the hill smaller than they entered, or if they were significantly evil and sorted in their responses they would be very tiny and would exit into a room designed to rid the world of such evil types. To pass this test, the person had to exit on the opposite side of the hill the exact same size as they were when they entered. If they exited any other size then they would revert to their normal size when they got 100’ beyond the exit, or after 24 hours which ever came first. If they failed they could not try again for one year. On top of the hill there was a ring of stones in a temple formation. If they succeed in making the right choices and maintaining their proportions with the outside world, a passageway would open in the side of the hill. The passageway led to a roughly cut spiral stairway which led up to the Oracle on top of the hill. Only those who succeeded saw the passageway or were allowed to enter. Anyone else would run into solid earth if they tried to enter. Those who failed could climb the outside of the hill they could see between the stones of the circle but would not be allowed to pass by an invisible force. The ring of stones surrounded a very simple altar in the center of the temple. The altar resembled a stump of a great tree that had been hollowed out to form a basin. The stump was some 3’ high and would be empty when a seeker arrived. The mouth of the Oracle would then arrive and pour a pitcher of water into the basin. She would then introduce herself in the following fashion, We are the Oracle of Yevan. What service may we offer? She would always refer to herself in the plural. She then would ask each one in turn what their question was and answer it by allowing them to step forward and view the answer in the reflection of the water as it appears. See *Amarla References *Randell Doty:Tales of the Westmarch Category:Hill Category:Delving Category:Sanctuary